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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27631583">The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lioncourt99/pseuds/Lioncourt99'>Lioncourt99</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supergirl (TV 2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Developing Relationship, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Not Canon Compliant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:47:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,925</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27631583</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lioncourt99/pseuds/Lioncourt99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>PLEASE, don't make me write a summary, okay?</p><p> </p><p>She had expected a lot of things when she entered the old warehouse in her quest for finding – and ultimately killing – Lex Luthor, but the scene before her, Supergirl on her knees in a glass tank that had a faint glow of emerald green, had not been one of them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alex - Relationship, Kara Danvers &amp; Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>144</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She had expected a lot of things when she entered the old warehouse in her quest for finding – and ultimately killing – Lex Luthor, but the scene before her, Supergirl on her knees in a glass tank that had a faint glow of emerald green, had not been one of them.<br/>
Neither had the woman in the wheelchair. Her wrists, ankles and torso were tied to the chair with leather straps, her head was bent forward. Her hair fell around her face and it wasn’t quite clear if she was conscious or even breathing. </p><p>What she <i>had</i> expected was Lex Luthor in all his questionable glory. Standing tall and grinning like the world was his to take and anyone who stood in his path just a nuisance that had to be dealt with in a permanent matter.</p><p>She had also expected his henchmen – and dealt with them, effectively and quietly. Still, one never knew how much more of them were around, so she laid low and waited for the play to unfold.</p><p>“Supergirl! How’re you holding up?”<br/>
Lex Luthor’s voice, its cadence and timbre, had the hair on the back of her neck up in milliseconds. She hated the man. Hated. There was no other word for it.</p><p>Supergirl tried to stand up, but her muscles failed her. Thin green veins scared her face and she seemed to be in excruciating pain. If even the dim glow of the kryptonite had this effect on her she must have been in there for quite a while.</p><p>“How do you like my newest invention? Kryptonite lamps. It wasn’t easy to harness the kryptonite’s power and develop something I could just switch on and off … But I won’t bore you with the details.” Lex laughed.<br/>
“The thing is that I could just up the power of the cute green lamps and kill you”, he said. “But where would be the fun in that? … You see, you Supers have been a thorn in my side for so long, your death should be a little bit more of a celebration.”<br/>
He bit his lip, giving him some sort of thoughtful look.<br/>
“And in the end it’s not only you who’s been in my way, has it? So the death of two of my greatest enemies should be … al little more epic.”</p><p>He turned to the woman next to him and forcefully pulled her head up by her hair. A scream escaped Supergirl’s lips, but I t wasn’t from pain, not her own anyway. </p><p>Lena Luthor’s eyes were half closed, her brow glistened with sweat. Even through the gag her breath sounded ragged. There was a visible tremor in her hands even thought they had a white-knuckled hold on the armrest they were tied to.</p><p>“What …” The forming of a sentence seemed to be a task that was almost too heavy for Supergirl, but she still continued. “What have you done to her?”</p><p>“My own sister in cahoots with a Super.” Lex ignored the question and shook his head in mock disbelief. “I told her who you were, you know? After <b>she shot me”,</b> he shouted and hardened his grip on his sisters hair, drawing a grunt from her lips. “But somehow she is still on your side.”</p><p>He looked at Supergirl who – despite the pain – seemed frozen in place and had her eyebrows raised in shock.</p><p>“Oh, you didn’t know that, did you?” He laughed.<br/>
“That’s funny! Seems like you’re not the only one who’s good at keeping secrets.” He looked at his watch, “Well, you’ll have about 12 hours to discuss this until her organs start to fail. That is, if my calculations are correct. And they always are.” </p><p>He let go of his sister and somehow Lena managed to keep her head up, her eyes focusing on Supergirl. </p><p>“As to your question: Kryptonite lamps aren’t the only thing I’ve been working on. I developed a virus. A nasty thing, to be honest. It attaches itself to the subject’s blood cells and acts like it has some kind of time delay. The subject feels sick, but no doctor will find out what’s ailing them until it’s too late. … It’s not contagious, so it is the perfect thing to take out people without killing all of humanity. I’m rather proud of that.”</p><p>Lex stepped closer to the glass tank.</p><p>“I infected Lena with it.”</p><p>Supergirl hit her fist against the glass with enough force to make her wince. The glass didn’t even crack. </p><p> “There’s a cure. Of course there is. But unfortunately for you and her, you’re stuck in this … aquarium. With no powers. In a building that is off the grid and covered with a force field. No one will find you. You will have to watch poor Lena die. And I promise you it will be painful.” </p><p>He stepped even closer and pressed his hand to the glass. </p><p>“And how will you yourself die, you might wonder? Well, in 12 hours the air will be sucked from this tank and replaced by kryptonite gas. Either way, one of you will see the other die. Easy, but classy. And to be on the safe side: In twelve hours and 30 minutes this building will be blown to pieces and should your darling sister be unfortunate enough to find you I will press the proverbial button and blow her up with you.”<br/>
He smiled.<br/>
“What do you think of my little plan? Kind of … airtight, don’t you think?”<br/>
He knocked on the glass, clearly pleased with his joke.</p><p>She should have seen the guard sooner, but she was too occupied by Lex’s speech, the whole manic flavor of it, the fact that he sounded like a movie supervillain. So when the man approached her, she only had seconds to react. She still was on her feet in an instant, grabbed his gun before he could pull the trigger and knocked him out cleanly with just two blows and hardly any noise. What she could not prevent, however, was him falling backwards, his body crashing against the railing and then falling right over it and landing one story down, almost right in front of Lex’s feet.</p><p>Lex looked up and their eyes met. She did not flinch and she thought she saw some recognition in his eyes.</p><p>“You”, he said, loud enough for her to hear, and she knew that right now he was running calculations about how best to proceed – because she did the same.<br/>
The easiest option – and incidentally the one she came here for – was to pull her gun and just shoot him. The world would be free of Lex Luthor forever. She would finally be able to get a good night’s sleep.</p><p>But then she took a glance at the woman in the chair and she knew that it would be her death sentence. There was a snowball’s chance in hell anyone would find a cure to whatever she had been infected with in the time she had left.  And she couldn’t let her die. She was not that kind of person.</p><p>If she wanted to rescue Lena she needed Lex alive <i>and</i> she had to persuade him to give her the cure. There were probably various possibilities to achieve this, but right now she could only come up with one.<br/>
She looked to her side, located the best way down and climbed over the railing.</p><p>Lex was furious, but he wasn’t stupid. When he saw the woman climb over the railing, he ran, even though his plan had consisted of taunting his prisoners for a while longer</p><p>She was fast, running over a crossbeam and jumping from a considerable height without pausing, but he was closer to the door. He made sure he still had the little black box in his pocket and ran outside, across the driveway and to the patch of grass where his helicopter was waiting. His one mistake was to turn his head to see if she was following. Not only was she closer than he had anticipated, but his foot got caught in something and he stumbled.</p><p>It was enough for her to catch up and he felt the full force of her crashing into him. He still took note of the tiny prick on his neck.<br/>
They both fell, but he was up faster. He pulled out the remote control and hit the button.</p><p>“Stop”, he shouted and held out the box in his hand. The display showed numbers running backwards. “I started the countdown for the bomb. There is no stopping it now. Supergirl and my sister have five minutes. You can kill me or save them. What will it be, Agent Arias?”</p><p>“You underestimate me, Lex. I think, I can do both”, Sam answered. She was hardly out of breath. “In fact I have killed you already.”</p><p>“What?”<br/>
His hand found its way to his neck without thinking.</p><p>“If you want to survive you should find me in the next … say six hours? And you better bring the cure for your sister.”</p><p>Sam turned around and ran back, leaving him speechless for the first time in his life.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She ran as fast as she could. Somehow Lex leaving the building had put an end to the force field and the whole structure was visible now. She ran inside and set the timer on her watch to four minutes to be on the safe side.</p><p>The tank was still glowing, but Supergirl did her best to break the glass. She lay on her back, kicking her boots against it repeatedly. Lena struggled against her bonds, but to no avail.</p><p>Sam stopped in front of the tank and circled it. There must be a way to disrupt the power, but all the hatches were welded shut and she didn’t have time.</p><p>“Save … Lena!” Supergirl was on her knees again, staring at her, but Sam ignored her plea. She would get them both out. That was the plan and she would stick to it.</p><p>“The building is off the grid”, she mumbled and searched across the room. She was almost giddy when she saw the generator. She climbed up to where it was and without further ado ripped out a handful of cables. Maybe not very elegant, but effective. Everything went dark. Including the kryptonite lamps.</p><p>She climbed back down, this time careful not to fall, and switching on the lamp of her mobile she instructed Supergirl to get down. She took the next best object – a smallish, but surprisingly heavy barrel – and smashed it against the glass repeatedly. It took five blows before the window crashed into a million little pieces. </p><p>“Can you walk”, she asked and Supergirl nodded.</p><p>There was one minute left. Sam didn’t waste it on unbuckling the straps. She cut Lena free instead and lifted her up. Lena pulled the gag from her mouth.<br/>
“He ... could have ... lied." Talking seemed to be an exhausting task. "I ... could be contagious.”</p><p>Sam looked at her and knew that it wouldn’t make any difference.<br/>
“I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it.”</p><p>The sight that greeted them when they cleared the building – Sam carrying Lena and making sure Supergirl stayed upright – wasn’t uninviting. The DEO in full tactical gear was marching in their direction. But the building would be exploding in a few seconds and they were still too close, so all Sam could do was shout. “Fall back! Take cover!”</p><p>The alarm on her watch vibrated and only a few seconds later the blast of the explosion propelled her forward. She managed to turn a little as she fell, so she wouldn’t crash down on Lena.<br/>
The impact had her gasping for air and she braced for the debris coming their way. Somehow almost none of it hit her though and she realized that Supergirl’s cape was wrapped around all three of them.</p><p>Maybe half a minute later they were surrounded by agents. They lifted Supergirl up and took her away.<br/>
Lena was unconscious in Sam’s arms. When agents tried to get to her, she stopped them.<br/>
“She’s been infected with a virus. Apparently it’s not contagious, but we should limit close contact for now.”<br/>
The agents stood back. </p><p>Sam managed to get onto her feet when was greeted by a familiar pair of eyes, staring at her like they’d seen a ghost.</p><p>“Sam?” There were so many conflicting feelings playing catch in Alex Danvers’ expression that Sam felt a little light-headed just watching her.<br/>
“They said you were dead”, was what Alex finally settled on.</p><p>Sam grunted and picked up Lena. “They were exaggerating.”</p><p>“There was a funeral. I know. … I was there.” </p><p>Sam wasn’t ready for this kind of talk. There were things she had to take care of first. Time-sensitive things.<br/>
“… Listen, Alex, I will explain everything, but right now we should take care of Ms. Luthor. Just tell me where to go and I’ll take her there.”</p><p>“Let me help you with that.”<br/>
Sam turned around and locked eyes with J’onn J’onzz. She had never seen the green Martian up close, but he sure was impressive.</p><p>“You mean, you can fly her to the DEO?”</p><p>“No. I mean I can fly both of you there. You should be quarantined until we’re sure you’re not infected.”</p><p>Sam nodded. “Sounds reasonable.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam hated flying, even more when instead of having the half-comfort of an actual airplane she had to trust that the alien, who was currently holding her, wasn’t going to let her fall. Or Lena for that matter. But they made it.</p>
<p>She hadn’t expected the DEO to be in such a central location. She’d have to ask Alex how they prevented people in the neighborhood from wondering why countless superheroes and the occasional villain flew into this particular building on a regular basis.<br/>
She thought about it while she sat on a bed in the med bay and waited patiently while they analyzed her blood and took her temperature multiple times.<br/>
With a clean bill of health she finally joined Alex, J’onn and Agent Dox, who kindly asked to be called Brainy, for her debrief.<br/>
She told them all about her hunt for Lex Luthor, how she had finally tracked him down and how she had not expected to find Supergirl and Lena Luthor there.<br/>
Alex stared at the whole time and she had no idea how to feel about it.</p>
<p>“But Lex Luthor escaped”, Brainy finally said.<br/>
“And we have no idea how to cure Lena”, Alex added.</p>
<p>“I had to make a choice. Capture him or save your sister”, Sam fired back and Alex immediately blushed.<br/>
“My what”, she asked. “I … I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”</p>
<p>Sam huffed. “Please, Alex. I am an FBI agent. Don’t insult my intelligence.”</p>
<p>“Somehow I get the feeling that you’re more clever than is good for you, Ms. Arias.” J’ont J’onzz seemed to repress a smile. “And also that you left out a part of the story.”</p>
<p>Sam chuckled. She decided she liked him. Green exterior and all.<br/>
“Well, I might have convinced Lex that he had to come to me with the cure within the next six hours or he’d be dead.”</p>
<p>“What?” Alex still stared at her.</p>
<p>Sam reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out a small vial. She handed it to Brainy. “I trust you can trace this? Careful, there’s a needle under the cap.”</p>
<p>He gingerly held the vial between his thumb and his index finger and looked at it like it was already under a microscope.</p>
<p>“You injected him with a radioactive substance. Strong enough to make him feel pain, but not enough to kill him. And it’s easily traceable.” He snapped his fingers, so that the vial was now firmly placed in his hand. “Where did you get it”, he asked, clearly curious.</p>
<p>“Valeronian arms dealer. Nasty fellow”, Sam said and J’onn finally let the smile reach his face.<br/>
“You clearly had a busy time after your death.” </p>
<p>“Still … You <i>poisoned</i> Lex Luthor?” Alex raised her eyebrows.</p>
<p>Sam shrugged.<br/>
“First, let us reestablish that I was there to kill him, so don’t look so shocked about a little poison. And then: It’s not deadly. It just … <i>hurts</i> a little.”</p>
<p>“A liquid tracker. Something you cannot shake”, Brainy said. “That’s brilliant.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t built to be one. It would be brilliant if the subject didn’t feel the side effects”, Sam said. “Though in this case it kind of plays into our hands, doesn’t it?”<br/>
She looked at Brainy. “So, can you trace it?”</p>
<p>“Of course. I’ll have to analyze the particular radiation signature, but it won’t take long”, he said and left.</p>
<p>“You went there to kill him.”<br/>
Alex looked at her.<br/>
“You’re an agent. You swore to uphold the law, Sam.”</p>
<p>“I’m dead, remember?” Sam clenched her jaw “Apparently you went to my funeral.”</p>
<p>Alex bit her lower lip.<br/>
“I am sorry about Cyrus”, she said. “He was a nice guy.”</p>
<p>“Thank you …” </p>
<p>“I know he was your partner for a long time.”</p>
<p>Sam looked up.<br/>
“He was like my brother, Alex. And Lex shot him. … Cy was already down. Lex didn’t <i>have</i> to shoot him, but he did it anyway. And then he burned the building down with him inside.”</p>
<p>“What happened to you?”</p>
<p>“Me? Oh, well, I guess I was lucky.”<br/>
Sam pulled her shirt out of her jeans and up just enough to show the ragged scar that ran across her abdomen.<br/>
Alex flinched. </p>
<p>“The bullet should have killed me, but it didn’t. I don’t know why or how I made it out. A boy found me in a field. The sight of all that blood must have scared the hell out of him, but he got his mum and she knew a doctor … One of those who don’t operate in the open.”</p>
<p>She looked at Alex who was still staring at the scar, red and angry, marring the once perfect skin.<br/>
Suddenly self-conscious, Sam pulled her shirt down again.<br/>
“It wasn’t clear if I would make it. Could have gone either way for more than a week, but here I am.”</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, Sam.” Alex reached out as if to touch her, but reconsidered half way through, which left her arm stretched out awkwardly in the air. </p>
<p>Sam’s expression softened a little. She tilted her head and looked at Alex.<br/>
“You went to my funeral?”</p>
<p>“Of course I did. What the fuck did you think I’d do?” Alex clenched her jaw. “You should have called me.”<br/>
She had almost forgotten about J’onn, so she jumped when he placed his hand on her shoulder.<br/>
“The two of you obviously have something to work through, but right now is not the time.”</p>
<p>Alex nodded, her eyes still on Sam. </p>
<p>An agent came closer and then hovered nearby until Alex finally acknowledged him.<br/>
“Yes, Morris?”</p>
<p>“Excuse me, Director, but Ms. Luthor has been asking for Agent Arias.”</p>
<p>“She has?” Sam asked. </p>
<p>“Yes, Ma’am. Repeatedly.”</p>
<p>“Well, I’ll better go and see her then.” She turned to Alex. “Unless we’re not finished?”</p>
<p>“It’s okay. Go and see her. I’ll be there myself in a few minutes to check on Super…” She frowned, but then she shrugged. “Kara. I’ll check on Kara and then I’ll try to find out what this virus is up to and how to cure it.” She looked at Sam. “Just in case Lex doesn’t come.”</p>
<p>But Sam just smirked. “Oh, he will. Trust me. He will come.”</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>The quarantine section of the med bay looked just about as aseptic as it sounded. White walls, white ceiling, white floor and white beds, one of them surrounded by countless sunlamps. It was occupied by Supergirl, who was unconscious, but no longer glowing green, which, Sam thought, was an improvement. </p>
<p>On the bed next to Supergirl Lena Luthor was hooked up to myriad of machines, monitoring everything from her heartbeat to the oxygen saturation in her blood. She had an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth and her eyes were closed. Sam wasn’t sure if she was awake, but she came closer anyway. </p>
<p>The younger Luthor looked ill, her skin on the white side of pale and clammy. She seemed to sense Sam’s presence, because she opened her eyes and with trembling fingers tried to get rid of the mask. </p>
<p>“Let me help you”, Sam said and carefully pulled the mask down. “Is this better?”</p>
<p>Lena nodded. “Thank you.” A second later coughs shook her body and Sam was about to pull the mask back on, but Lena took hold of her hand with an astoundingly firm grip. So Sam waited and then she held a cup of water to Lena’s lips who drank from it cautiously.</p>
<p>“Thank you … for saving us”, she finally whispered. “For saving … Kara.” Her eyes darted over to the Kryptonian. </p>
<p>“There is nothing you have to thank me for, Ms. Luthor.”</p>
<p>“Lena. Please.”</p>
<p>Sam smiled.<br/>
“Very well, Lena. I’m Sam.”</p>
<p>Lena smiled and she looked equally tired and beautiful. Sam realized that she was still holding on to her left hand.</p>
<p>“Would you promise me something, Sam?”</p>
<p>“I guess, that depends on what your asking.”</p>
<p>“Promise me that you won’t let Kara kill my brother.”<br/>
She coughed.<br/>
“She will want to. After I … Please, don’t let her. It is not who she is.”</p>
<p>“You sound like someone who’s expecting to die.”</p>
<p>Lena chuckled, leading to even more coughing and Sam helped her drink some more.</p>
<p>“You heard Lex. I don’t have much time left.”</p>
<p>“And how do you expect me to keep Supergirl from doing … like anything, really?”</p>
<p>“You were there to kill Lex, were you not?”</p>
<p>Sam frowned.<br/>
“How did you know that?”</p>
<p>“Intuition.”</p>
<p>“No, Lena. Even you are not that good.”</p>
<p>Lena smiled.<br/>
“I heard him talk about you. How you were onto him. And then there was the news of your death. I just put two and two together.”</p>
<p>“I see.” Sam nodded. “Well, all I can promise you is that I will try. But before we concern ourselves with what will happen in case of your death … you might want to hang on a little longer. I’m not ready to give up on you just yet.”</p>
<p>Lena raised an eyebrow.<br/>
“You have a plan”, she stated. “And you believe that it will work. Sam Arias, I think we could be really good friends.”</p>
<p>Sam smiled. “I will remind you that you said that later. Right now I will try and save your life. And you will honor that by hanging in there, okay?”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Lena nodded and Sam put the oxygen mask back in place.</p>
<p>“I promise, Lena, I will come through and you will make it another day. Just hang in there.”</p>
<p>When Sam turned around, Alex was leaning in the door frame, watching her.</p>
<p>“Didn’t you want to check on your sister?”<br/>
Sam walked past her.</p>
<p>“Sam, wait.” Alex grabbed her sleeve to slow her down. “I … I was caught a little off guard earlier. I just … I am really sorry about Cy. He was a good man. And I know he meant a lot to you. … I heard what you said to Lena. That you will keep Kara from going after Lex. And I want to thank you for that.”</p>
<p>Sam looked at her.<br/>
“Don’t get me wrong, Alex, but the only reason I promised that to Lena is, that given the chance, I will blow his lights out myself. And I will not hesitate or feel remorse.”</p>
<p>“Sam …”</p>
<p>Sam looked at Alex’s hand still holding on to her sleeve and Alex let go.</p>
<p>“Thank you that you came to my funeral, Alex. It means a lot to me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Cloak and dagger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kara woke up two hours later. She was groggy, but at Lena’s side merely seconds after opening her eyes.</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me that you knew, Lena”, she asked and reached out for Lena’s hand, interlacing their fingers. </p><p>Lena smiled and pulled down the mask.<br/>
“You’re the one asking <i>me</i> that? Don’t you think things could have been a lot less complicated if you just told me who you were?”</p><p>“I messed it up, didn’t I?”</p><p>“We both messed it up.” Lena gave her a tired smile. </p><p>“We can change things, Lena. We can get through this.” Kara pulled their joined hands up and kissed the back of Lena’s. “I swear I’ll never lie to you again. In fact, let me start right now … I love you, Lena. And not just in a best friends kind of way.” She bit her lip, bracing for the blow, but Lena just looked at her in amazement.<br/>
“I think I’ve loved you from the second we met. I was just really slow to admit it. … I mean, you know me. I can be really slow.”</p><p>“Kara …”</p><p>“You don’t have to say it back, Lena. You … if you don’t feel the same way … I just needed you to know. I needed to be honest.”</p><p>Lena took a deep breath.<br/>
“Kara … I don’t know how long I have …”</p><p>“Don’t say that, Lena. Please. We will find a cure.”<br/>
There was so much distress in Kara’s voice that Lena longed to pull her close and make everything go away. But she couldn’t. Her arms felt heavy as lead and every breath suddenly was an enormous task. Something wasn’t right.</p><p>“Just promise me that … you won’t lose yourself because of this. Please … Kara.” The coughing started again and this time it didn’t stop. </p><p>Kara pushed the mask back onto Lena’s mouth and nose and called for her sister.</p><p>Alex ran into the room, took a look at the various monitors and shouted orders. She injected something into the drip and within seconds, Lena was unconscious.</p><p>“We have to intubate her, Kara. You need to leave.”</p><p>“But she was fine a second ago.”<br/>
Kara looked like she was on the verge of crying.</p><p>“Kara, please. Let us do our job. We need to keep her stable for as long as possible. And this will help, okay?” Alex put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “We’re not giving up on her. I promise. Wait outside. I’ll be with you in a minute.”</p><p>Kara let go of Lena’s hand. She almost had to force herself to do it and walk the few steps to the door. Behind her she heard Alex give precise and calm orders while she pushed the tube down Lena’s throat. Kara felt cold … and angry. She looked down at her trembling hands. One of them reached out for the door and pushed it open. She felt completely detached from the process.</p><p>Outside she waited. She did not move until Alex came back out, getting rid of her rubber gloves and throwing them into a bin in the corner.</p><p>“Come with me”, she said and took Kara’s hand. She led her outside, past the control center and down one of the corridors until they stood in the room she used for meditation. Then Alex pulled her close and Kara broke. She cried until she had nothing left and they both sat on the floor, Alex with her back to the wall, holding her.</p><p>“You love her”, she said and Kara wasn’t sure if her sister was waiting for confirmation, but she gave one anyway.</p><p>“More than anything.”</p><p>“We will save her, Kara.”<br/>
There was no hint of doubt in Alex’ voice. </p><p>“How can you be so sure”, Kara still had to ask.</p><p>Alex smiled. “While you were having your beauty sleep, Brainy tracked Lex and also we’re waiting for him to call us.”</p><p>“Lex? Call us?” Kara stared at her. “Why would he do that?”</p><p>“Because Sam poisoned him … or she didn’t. The jury is still out on that.”</p><p>“Sam?”</p><p>“Sam Arias. The woman who saved you?” Alex got up and held out her hand to pull Kara up.</p><p>“Sam Arias?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“I know that name.” Kara took the offered hand and let herself be pulled up.<br/>
“Didn't she die? I mean, haven’t you been to the funeral of a woman of that name?” She looked at Alex. “If I remember correctly you called in sick and stayed at home for almost a week after that, even though that never happens, even when you're actually sick.”</p><p>Alex frowned.<br/>
“That had nothing to do with Sam.”</p><p>“You liked her, Alex.” Kara stared at her like she had some sort of epiphany. “You came back from Metropolis after the DEO had to help the FBI out with the Saturnian and you were smiling and texting someone, but wouldn’t say who. … You even went back there for the weekend.”</p><p>“Stop it, Kara.”</p><p>“And then they told you she had died.”</p><p>“Yes.” Alex bit her lip. “But she’s not dead. She’s out there in the control room. Very much alive. And she came back to kill Lex Luthor.”</p><p>“Alex …” Kara reached out for Alex, but her sister turned around. </p><p>“I can’t deal with that right now. We have to focus on Lex and saving Lena. When all is done we can go back to psychoanalyzing this.”</p><p>—</p><p>“Shouldn’t he have called by now? It’s been like what? Three hours.”<br/>
J’onn looked at Sam.</p><p>“Yes, three hours and sixteen minutes. About the time it takes for the drug to do some damage. Right about know he will feel pain and realize that I haven’t been bluffing.”</p><p>“How do you know?”</p><p>“How do I know what?”</p><p>“How do you know how it works?”</p><p>Sam looked at him. “I’ve seen what the drug can do.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>She huffed. “Oh, don’t look at me like you <i>know</i> me, J’onn J’onzz. <i>I’ve</i> never injected anyone with it before. I just had it, because I took it away from the Valeronian.”</p><p>“Fair enough”, he said and nodded, then he looked to his left where Alex and Kara appeared from a doorway. Given that only hours ago she had been close to death’s door, Supergirl only looked a little worse for wear. She seemed anxious however and Sam felt sympathetic.<br/>
She was about to greet them and finally introduce herself properly, when her phone began to vibrate. She pulled it from her jeans pocket and put it on speaker.</p><p>“Took you long enough, Lex.”</p><p>There was a second of silence. Sam saw Kara’s hands press down on one of the consoles, leaving dents.</p><p>
  <i>“You’re a real pain, Arias. Can’t stay dead, can you?”</i>
</p><p>“Did you call to exchange pleasantries or is their actually something you wanted to say?”</p><p>
  <i>“Hm, no time for pleasantries? How’s my darling sister?”</i>
</p><p>Alex put her hand on Kara’s arm.</p><p>“I don’t owe anyone my loyalty, Lex. I could just let the both of you die and not care about any of this. It would make my life a lot easier to be honest.”</p><p>
  <i>“But still you really want the cure for what is ailing Lena …”</i>
</p><p>“Yeah, I really do. I’m a good person. I can’t help it. We have a chance to resolve this to our mutual benefit … or you die. Whatever you prefer.”</p><p>Sam looked up from the phone and saw that Alex was still holding on to Kara.</p><p>
  <i>“How do I know that you won’t just let me die anyway?”</i>
</p><p>“You’ll have to trust me. Just as much as I will have to trust that you bring the right cure for Lena.”</p><p><i>“Thirty minutes. The Luthor warehouse at the docks. You know the one. Come alone. Let’s settle this like well … grown-ups.” </i><br/>
He hung up.</p><p>“You do realize that that’s a trap, right?” Brainy looked at her and Sam nodded with as much seriousness as she could muster. “Yes, Brainy, I’m well aware of that. But it’s also the best chance we got.”</p><p>“We know where he is. We’re tracking him. We could just get him now.”</p><p>“We could, but we couldn’t be sure that he has the cure with him. I’m counting on you to track him should he get away though.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“Sam”, Alex started.</p><p>“Do you have a better idea?”</p><p>Alex sighed. “No. But I won’t let you go alone.”</p><p>“She won’t be alone.”</p><p>Sam looked at Supergirl who stood facing her – now in her usual pose, hands on her hips, all bravery and determination.</p><p>Sam looked at her.<br/>
“Kara …” She let the unfamiliar name linger on her tongue for a moment. “Lex will be gone the second you appear. I will gladly accept you as backup, but if you want to save Lena, let me do my thing and stay out of it.”</p><p>Kara looked to her sister for support, but Alex shrugged.<br/>
“She has a point.”</p><p>“And what will you do if he brings his Lexosuit?”<br/>
Kara faced Sam again.</p><p>“I will have to trust that your superspeed is up to snuff.” Sam crossed the distance between them. “If it helps … if he messes with us, I will deal with him. … I promised Lena.”</p><p>“You promised her what?”</p><p>“I promised her that I won’t let you kill him. She doesn’t want you to go down that road.”</p><p>“But aren’t you going down that road yourself?”</p><p>Sam smiled.<br/>
“Fair point. But one of us is enough, don’t you think?”</p><p>--</p><p>The night was cold and rainy. The perfect weather for a cloak and dagger mission at the docks, Sam thought, as she made her way across a dark alley between enormous shipping containers. This place was like a maze and she was well aware of the fact that it held a multitude of options for an ambush. Just as much as she was aware of the fact that there was a number DEO agents nearby. Still, if Lex wanted to shoot her, he had every advantage.</p><p>She rounded a corner and reached an open square that ended at the water. Lex was waiting for her, the lamps above giving him an almost orange glow that could not distract from just how pale he looked or that he clearly was in discomfort. </p><p>Sam crossed the square.<br/>
“How’re you holding up,” she asked and studied his face, the furrowed brow, the small beads of sweat on his scalp.</p><p>“Can we skip the part where you mock me and just get to the exchange?”<br/>
He basically spat out the words.</p><p>“That bad, hu?”</p><p>He stood straighter.<br/>
“Even though I kindly asked you to come alone I am pretty sure that you are not. Neither am I, so I guess we’re at kind of an impasse. … I propose that both of us very carefully reach into our respective pockets and produce what the other so desperately wants and then we skedaddle.”</p><p>Sam chuckled. “Skedaddle? Really?”<br/>
She pulled a vial from her jacket pocket.<br/>
“In here are a million little microbes that – when injected – can make all your pain go away. What do you have to offer?”</p><p>Lex produced a very small cooler.<br/>
“What you want is in here.”</p><p>Sam looked at him. “Is it? Because I really don’t trust you, Lex.”</p><p>“Well, you can always come and find me if it doesn’t work.”<br/>
He sounded almost annoyed, but he opened the cooler and let her have a look inside.</p><p>Sam nodded and reached out with her left hand and while offering the vial in her right return.<br/>
Both took hold of their bounty.<br/>
Sam put the cooler into her pocket. When she looked up she noticed movement to her right. She wasn’t completely clear on the origin, but her gut told her to move and so she did. A second later a shot rang out. The bullet passed only inches from her head.<br/>
She saw Lex run and followed him. </p><p>“Sam? Are you okay?”, Alex sounded breathless, like she was running or concerned or both.</p><p>“Yes. I’m pursuing Lex.”</p><p>“Wait for backup!”</p><p>“No time”, she panted and turned a corner. Lex was nowhere to be seen. Behind her she heard multiple shots fired.<br/>
“Brainy, where is Lex?”</p><p>“One hundred and sixty feet north of you.”</p><p>Sam ran.</p><p>“Wait. He stopped.”</p><p>Sam ran to the end of the alley and leaned her back to a container. Her heart rate was off the charts. She pulled her gun and carefully glanced around the edge. Nothing.</p><p>“Brainy?”</p><p>“To your left.”</p><p>She proceeded down another small alley and ended up at some sort of junction. To her right was the harbor basin, to her left a huge crane on rails.</p><p>“He should be close to you.” She heard Brainy’s through her earpiece, but for some reason his voice sounded far away and hollow. She stopped and looked down. The ground seemed to move.</p><p>“Sam?” Alex’s voice sounded just as strange. Sam lifted her gun and realized that her hand was shaking.</p><p>“Sam? Do you copy?”</p><p>
  <i>It’s not contagious, so it is the perfect thing to take out people without killing all of humanity. I’m rather proud of that.</i>
</p><p>He’d been lying. The reality of it hit her like a freight train.</p><p>“Sam?”</p><p>“Alex … you have to find Lex. Whatever you have to do, take him alive. He’s the cure.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“He lied. The virus. … It’s contagious.”</p><p>“So if he isn’t sick … That means he is immune. Which means he has antibodies.”</p><p>“Yes.” </p><p>“Supergirl?” </p><p>“On it.”</p><p>Sam moved forward. Soon she realized she would have no chance to catch up with Lex. Not with the way her legs felt like rubber and her head on the verge of exploding. She sighed, sank to the ground and leaned her back to the crane.</p><p>“Sam, where are you?” Alex now definitely sounded concerned and Sam couldn’t help but think that it was nice. Someone sounding concerned for her wellbeing. </p><p>“I don’t know”, she mumbled. “I’m just going to sit here for a minute.”</p><p>“Stay with me, Arias, okay? Let’s think this through. So the virus is contagious, but why would he lie to Kara and tell her something different when he planned to kill her and Lena?”</p><p>“I’m guessing that was not the plan after all. He wanted them to get out. For Kara to take Lena to the DEO and get everyone infected. There probably was going to be some malfunction in the generator that would have allowed Kara to get out. Be the hero. … He said the virus had a time delay. I should have listened more carefully”, she chuckled.</p><p>“How bad are your symptoms?”</p><p>“Bad enough for me to never want to stand up again.”</p><p>“Why would you feel like that, but I don’t?”</p><p>“I was closer to Lena, I guess.”</p><p>“Or I have another hour before I feel the effects.”</p><p>“I got him!” Kara’s voice was a mixture between anger and victory. “I’ll fly him to the DEO. Alex, you have to get back and get to work.”</p><p>“I will, as soon as I got Sam.”</p><p>“No. Alex, go”, Sam said. “The cure is more important.”</p><p>“You don’t fucking get to tell me what is more important.”<br/>
When Sam looked up, Alex was right next to her.<br/>
“Alex, please. You’re going to get yourself infected”, she pleaded, but Alex had already pulled her up and was now carrying her over her shoulder.<br/>
“I am not going to let you die on me again.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam wasn’t sure how exactly she ended up in the DEO med bay. She must have passed out at some point.<br/>
She felt groggy, like waking up from a really bad hangover with the additional feeling of having run three marathons back to back. When she lifted her head ever so slightly she saw Lena on the other bed. She seemed to be sleeping soundly. No tube or oxygen mask.<br/>
<i>Good</i>, Sam thought. <i>That’s good.</i></p><p>“Sam?”</p><p>Alex must have a stealth mode or a superpower to be able to just appear close to Sam without her anticipating it. She stood at the foot of the bed and looked at her like she was waiting for something.</p><p>Sam sighed.<br/>
“Mhm”, was all she could come up with. Maybe her brain had been scrambled by the virus. Either that or she was just dead tired.</p><p>“How are you feeling?”<br/>
Alex came closer and sat down on the side of the bed. The closeness of her brought up memories. Pleasant ones. </p><p>“Tired.”</p><p>Alex smiled.<br/>
“What else? A headache?”</p><p>Sam nodded. Big mistake.<br/>
“Yes. Like Phil Collins is playing the drum solo of ‘In the air tonight’.”</p><p>“That’s oddly specific.” Alex chuckled.</p><p>“How are we doing?”</p><p>Alex looked around the room. “We were lucky. And just in time. You were right about Lex. I was able to find a cure. Nothing the FDA would approve of, given the fact that I had no chance to test it, but when we came back Lena was in a really bad state. So I had to risk it.”</p><p>“I’ll blame you when I develop a second head as an after-effect.” Sam smiled. “So, how is Lena?”</p><p>“I took the tube out an hour ago. She hasn’t woken up yet, but her vitals are improving steadily. My professional opinion is that she’ll be fine. Considering that her brother used her as a human carrier of some kind of plague …” She looked at Sam. “She was lucky that you were there.”</p><p>“I could have caught on a little earlier.”</p><p>“You caught on fast enough.”</p><p>Sam nodded. Again. Big mistake.<br/>
“Where is your sister?”</p><p>“She’s having a talk with Lex.”</p><p>Sam sat up and groaned.<br/>
“You left her alone with him?”</p><p>Alex’s hands found their way to her shoulders and gently pushed her back down.<br/>
“No, I did not. J’onn is with her.”</p><p>Sam sighed.<br/>
“What’s going to happen to Lex? You know that if you get him back to prison he will just escape again, right?”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“Alex …”</p><p>“I won’t let you kill him, Sam. I can’t … I can’t let you do that. I can’t … lose you again.” Alex bit her lip.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You heard me. … When we met. Last year … There was something between us, wasn’t there?”</p><p>“Yes.” Sam hated how much her answer sounded like a whisper.</p><p>“I liked you. No, I <i>like</i> you. … When I got the call … when they told me you were gone … I mourned. I felt like a part of me had died. And I know that we didn’t spend that much time together, but it just felt … right … at least to me.”<br/>
Alex wiped a tear from her eye.<br/>
“I don’t want to scare you. I just need to get this out, okay? I like you. And I don’t want you to kill that bastard, because I want you to hang around. I don’t want to have to hunt you down for murder or visit you in prison. I want you <i>here.</i>”</p><p>Sam took a deep breath.<br/>
“Wow … I …”</p><p>“You don’t have to say anything. I probably embarrassed myself here. I’m sorry.” Alex got up and was about to go, but Sam caught her hand.</p><p>“Can I say something?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I would like to … hang around. And I’m tired of running and chasing Lex. Put him back in prison for all I care. If he breaks out I can still shoot him.”<br/>
She sat up a little and pulled Alex closer. “So, if you’ll have me … I would like to stay and spend some time with you. Get to know you again. … Maybe we shouldn’t continue <i>exactly</i> where we left off …”</p><p>Alex grinned. “You remember where we left off?”</p><p>“Oh, I definitely remember where we left off. It was … <i>memorable.</i> … But maybe we can start a little more PG–13. Maybe this would be okay?”<br/>
She pulled Alex down and gently kissed her lips.</p><p>Alex hummed. “Hm, that would be a good start, I guess.”</p><p>The fingers of Sam’s free hand found the back of Alex’s neck. She kissed her again.<br/>
“Oh, I definitely remember now.”</p><p>“Excuse me? Director Danvers?”<br/>
Alex almost jumped when Brainy cleared his throat, while Sam silently chuckled.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Ahm, J’onn and Supergirl asked for you to join them in the conference room. … If you’re free that is.”</p><p>“I’m free!” </p><p>“Are you”, Sam asked and Alex blushed when she saw her smirk.</p><p>“We will talk about this later”, she answered and – with a smile – she retreated.</p><p>—</p><p>“Alex, we need to talk about …” Kara stopped and frowned. “Is everything okay?”</p><p>“Yes. Why”, Alex answered with a kind of breathlessness that suggested otherwise.</p><p>“You look … flushed.”</p><p>“I do not.”</p><p>“And you’re voice has a higher pitch.” Kara stared at her.<br/>
“Oh, Rao! You kissed Sam!”</p><p>“What? I …” Alex bit her lip. “Yes. Yes, I did.” She was well aware that she sounded giggly and she saw J’onn frown at her. “But this is not important now. We have other things to deal with.”</p><p>“Exactly. Lex Luthor.” Kara nodded, her mind still clearly on another topic.</p><p>J’onn cleared his throat.<br/>
“Can we focus? Please? We have Lex in a cell and we have to decide how to proceed.”</p><p>“Have you given him the antidote?” Alex looked at him.</p><p>“Yes. And it worked.”</p><p>“You sound like you weren’t sure it would.”</p><p>“Well”, he said, “to be honest I wasn’t sure if Agent Arias even had a functional antidote.”</p><p>“Fair enough, I guess”, Alex answered and sat down on one of the chairs. “But what are we going to do now? Putting him back into prison seems to be only a temporary solution given the fact that he always manages to get back out.”</p><p>“What are you suggesting”, J’onn asked. “That we keep him here? He’s human.”</p><p>“That’s debatable,” Kara shot back.</p><p>Alex shrugged. “I mean, he has been sentenced to life in prison anyway.”</p><p>“I’m not sure you have the authority to keep him here.” J’onn sat down. “But there might be another way to contain the problem.”</p><p>“J’onn?” Kara looked at him. “What are you saying?”</p><p>“He wants to change his mind. … Like …. <i>literally.</i>” Alex stared at him. “Is that even something you can do?”</p><p>“I can make him forget.”</p><p>“Forget what? That he hates Superman?”</p><p>“Yes. I can make him forget why he chose the path he’s on.”</p><p>“J’onn, he’s a sociopath. Do you really think that would change the outcome? And isn’t changing his memories even worse than keeping him in cellblock D?”</p><p>“It’s not our decision.”</p><p>“What?” Alex looked at Kara.</p><p>“He’s Lena’s brother. If it was up to Sam and me he would end up somewhere he would never see the sun again. … Oh, don’t look at me like that, Alex. If he had succeeded in killing Sam you wouldn’t think twice about sending him to the phantom zone.”</p><p>“Probably not.”</p><p>“But he is Lena’s brother. And she should have a say in this.”</p><p>“You expect her to sentence her own brother?”</p><p>“No. I want her to be able to say what she thinks about this and then we will come up with an answer together”, Kara said. “ …. She shot him once before, you know?”</p><p>“She what?!”</p><p>“Lex said something like that … It’s not like we had the time to discuss it.”</p><p>“Oh man, this really is a mess.” Alex sighed and put her head in her hands. “I feel like I haven’t slept in a week. And I’m in desperate need of a shower. And a beer or two. All of that. In no particular order.”</p><p>“Tell me about it.“ Kara fell into the chair next to her. “And I can’t even remember the last time I’ve eaten.”</p><p>J’onn looked from one to the other and suddenly he started to laugh.<br/>
“How about we adjourn this meeting until your needs are met? It’s not like Mr. Luthor is going anywhere.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Lena? Can you open your eyes for me?”</p><p>Lena had a vague idea that Alex was talking to her, but her voice seemed so far away that it might as well have been a dream.</p><p>“Lena, come on. Open your eyes.”</p><p>Lena sighed and did as she was told. It was harder than expected. Her eyelids were heavy like they had weights attached to them.<br/>
She blinked a few times until the light stopped being to bright.</p><p>“Lena? Can you look at my finger and follow it?”</p><p><i>Really? That’s what you woke me up for?</i><br/>
Lena sighed again and followed Alex’s index finger from left to right.</p><p>“Very good.”</p><p>“I …”<br/>
She forgot what she was going to say halfway through, but nodded when Alex held cup of water to her lips and asked if she wanted to drink.<br/>
Somehow her throat burned.</p><p>“I had to intubate you. Your oxygen levels took a sudden dive. But you’re fine now. We found the cure to the virus and you’re body’s getting rid of the thing as we speak.”</p><p>“Kara?”</p><p>“I’m here, Lena!”<br/>
Kara appeared behind Alex and took hold of her hand.<br/>
“Rao, I’m so glad to see you awake.”</p><p>Lena was glad as well, but there was something on her mind. Something she thought she should ask, but she didn’t quite know what it was. Her brain was too foggy.<br/>
“I love you”, she said instead and saw Kara’s eyes widen.<br/>
“Should have told you … earlier”, she managed to add and was almost proud of her eloquence.</p><p>“I love you, too”, she heard Kara say, but her eyes were already closed again and she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.</p><p>—</p><p>A groan woke Sam from her nap. She opened her eyes and saw that Lena was twisting in her bed. Her hands reaching for something that wasn’t there.<br/>
Sam was up before she could think about it. The room was spinning a little when her feet reached the ground, but she could manage the way to the chair next to Lena’s bed. She reached out and took her hand. </p><p>Lena’s eyes flew open and Sam smiled.<br/>
“Hi there. Sorry, it’s just me. Kara is out with Alex, doing Supergirl stuff, I guess. … How are you feeling?”</p><p>“Groggy”, Lena said and remembered that there was something she had wanted to ask earlier. Something substantial.<br/>
“What happened”, she finally said, hoping that Sam would understand the implications.</p><p>“Your brother lied. The virus was contagious. Luckily I found out before I keeled over and we were able to arrest him.”</p><p>“You were sick?”</p><p>“Only a little.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be. Alex took his blood and found a cure, so everything is peachy.”</p><p>“He had antibodies.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Is he …”</p><p>“He’s in a cell somewhere.”</p><p>“Kara … did she …” </p><p>“I promised I wouldn’t let her kill him, remember?”</p><p>“Thank you.”<br/>
Lena squeezed Sam’s hand.<br/>
“I’m not sure I would have survived this without you.”</p><p>“Yeah, just remember that when Christmas is coming up.” Sam laughed.</p><p>“So you’re staying?” Lena sank deeper into her pillow.</p><p>“Yes. At least for a while. … There’s something I have to figure out.”</p><p>“And what might that be?”<br/>
Lena seemed tired, but she still had them focused on Sam.</p><p>“Alex and I ...”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“We’ve known each other. From before I … died.</p><p>“You mean before my brother shot you.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“I’m sorry about that, too, by the way.”</p><p>“It’s not like you pulled the trigger.”</p><p>“I still feel like I should have stopped him somehow.”</p><p>“I distinctly remember hearing him shouting something about you shooting him.”</p><p>“Yes. That was … unpleasant.”</p><p>Sam chuckled.<br/>
“Why don’t you tell me all about that over a glass of very expensive whiskey?”</p><p>Lena grinned.<br/>
“I really think we’re going to be very good friends.”</p><p>—</p><p>“Mind wiping?” Lena looked from J’onn to Kara.</p><p>“Yes. J’onn did it with Alex last year when Colonel Haley was hell-bent on finding out Supergirl’s identity.”</p><p>“You forgot that your sister was Supergirl?” Lena seemed perplexed when she looked at Alex, but then she nodded. “That explains why you were so convincingly annoyed with her.”</p><p>“Lena, I’m really sorry …”</p><p>“It’s okay, Alex. I’ll need some time to wrap my mind around all of that. And we’ll talk about it. But not right now, okay?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>Lena looked at J’onn.<br/>
“So, when you say ‘mind wiping’ … what exactly do you mean?”</p><p>“I can wipe out the negative memories he has surrounding Superman and replace them with something mundane. … I can also keep him from hurting others.”</p><p>“You can?” Kara looked up.</p><p>“Well, it’s not easy and it is certainly not something one should attempt lightly, but I think it can be done.”</p><p>“But what good would it do?”</p><p>They all turned around to look at Sam.</p><p>“The world knows what Lex Luthor has done. You can’t get rid of everbody’s memories of him just so you can keep the new, improved, non-homicidal version of Lex running around free.”</p><p>“We won’t set him free. He has earned every day in prison he was sentenced to”, Lena said. “But maybe, if he was a little less his charming, homicidal self, he would see no point in breaking out again. Maybe he would actually understand the damage he has done and accept the consequences.”</p><p>“But we’d do it against his will …”</p><p>“Well, I shot him and I was pretty sure that I actually killed him, so how bad is mind wiping him really?”</p><p>Sam quirked an eyebrow at her.</p><p>“So either we leave him the way he is and keep him locked up here or J’onn messes with his mind and when he’s all bunnies, rainbows and butterflies we ship him back to Stryker’s?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>Sam sighed. “Maybe you should just flip a coin.”</p><p>“He would be your brother again.” Kara looked at Lena. “The one from before. You would still know what he has done, but he would be there and you would be able to talk to him.”</p><p>“Yes.” Lena’s voice was very low.</p><p>Kara took Lena’s hand in hers. “Maybe that is something to consider.” </p>
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